Enclosed switch



Oct. 26, 1943. F, s GREEN 2,332,633

ENCLOSED SWITCH Fi1ed Aug. 5, 1940 s sheets-,sheet 1 INVENTOR: Pz. @yDS. GREEN Oct. 26,' 1943.

F. s. GREEN ENCLOSED swITcH Filed Aug. 5, 1940 3 Sheets-Shel??I 2INVENTOR: L om. S. GREEN Ot. 26, 1943. F. s. GREEN ENCLOSED SWITCH FiledAug. 5, 1940 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR: [s/*10m S. GREEN Patented Oct.26, 1943 2,332,633 ENCLOSED SWITCH Floydv S." Green, St. Louis, Mo.,assignor to Frank Adam Electric Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporationof Missouri Application August 5, 1940, serial No. 351,522

(ci. zoo-o) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in enclosed switches. Moreparticularly, the invention relates `to improvementsin safety devicesused on enclosed switches. It is an object of the invention to providelsimple but positive acting safety yvents the holding ofuarcs betweenthe contacts when the circuit is lopened or closed. Arcing between thecontacts causes burningthereof which materially decreases the eiciencyof the electri- V cal connectionmadeby the switch. The burning alsoshortens thelife of the contacts and decreases the eifective life of theswitch. The quick 'make and break mechanisms whichl have been used areof various types. A commonly used type of quick make and break operatingmechanism for switches utilizes what is known as the overcenter spring.There are various arrangements Aof this ltype some employingthe spring'in tension andsome incompression. Such operating mechanisms usually havea dead center position when the spring is leither fully compressed ortensioned.v l'his makes a quick make or break in the circuit Vandsavesjthe contacts from burning. An objection to the use Vof* the quickmake and break mechanisms, which Ahave a dead center position, isthatthe switch sometimes gets set on dead center. In such cases thehandle is not completely in the full "on" or ofi position, and

the operator cannot be sure Athat the switch is either "on or offL Invertically mounted switches it often happens that the lower position ofthe handle indicates that the switch is olf. If there is 4any playinthe' handle mechanism when the switch is in the dead center positionthe handle will fall to the off` position even though the switch maybeclosed. j This is obviously a dangerous situation which can give risetonumerous accidents. The applicant avoids such'fsitnationsbyproviding-,means to move the handle into the on positionwhen theswitch is in the dead center positionl As a 'result of this improvement.the. operator will believe the switch is on Whenever it is on deadcenter. Since .the handle vindicates that the circuit .isr made, theoperator will act as though it were and will be careful to avoid shocks..l

In enclosed type switches,E the manufacturers try to avoid accidentstolaymen who work around the switches by locking the door to the switchboxwhenever the circuit is made. This prevents contact with the electrifiedparts of the switches when the circuit is made. It is, however,sometimes desirable for the purpose of inspection, to open the door ofthe switch-box when the circuit is'made. lIt is, therefore, necessary toprovide a locking arrangement which will prevent the open ing of theswitch door at all ordinary times when the switch is on, but will letthedoor be'opened for purposes of testing and inspection. Such a lockingarrangement, to effectuate the object for which it is intended, shouldbe so designed that a person could not open the door while the switch is"on unless he were shown how it can be done. By showing only lelectricalinspectors how to open the switch-box when the circuit is on, the man-lufacturers would be assured that laymen would be very'unlikely tocontact electried parts of the switch. Some of the switches now in usehave provided means to do this, but these means are complicatedandrequire the inspector either to have a special tool to open the box, orto insert his hands in the box. Thisv is bothersome and dangerous, Theapplicant has provided a locking arrangement which precludes opening ofthe switch door by laymen when the circuit is on, which will, by anadjustment of the switch handle, permit the door to be opened forinspection even when the circuit is made. This prevents any accidentalshocking of layme'n, since the box cannot be opened without knowledge ofits operation.

In enclosed type switches which have a switch handle extending` from theiront of the box, it is difficult to ship them Aeiiiciently since thehandle projects out from the front of the box. This will not permit theboxes to be piled closely together for shipment, and a pile of switcheswith handles already`installed takes much more room than one in' whichthe switches are shipped withoutthe handles being installed. Theapplicant avoids this objection by providing a handle which may beshipped with the Abox and assembled merely by inserting it in the frontof the box. This `permits the box to be shipped economically and yetavoids expensive assembly charges for the .drawings and accompanyingdescription do not limit the invention and that the invention will bedefined by the accompanying claims.

,ber 22 rotates. locking projection 28 thereon which cooperates with thedoor-locking catch 20 .to prevent the .opening of the door.

, rotation of the'locking member 22. .tion 40 on the locking member 22rotates with Fig. is a view of a broken section of the en- A closedswitch-box and shows the arrangement and position of the locking meanswhen the h'andle is in the off position.

Fig. 6 is a view of a broken section of the enclosed switch-box andrshows Ythe arrangement and position of the locking means when the partsof the switch cooperate to permit opening of the door while the switchis on.

Fig. 7 is a View of a broken section of the enclosed switch-box andshows the arrangement and position ofv the locking means .when thehandle is in the on position.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an optional form of handle androtatablemember assembly to be used with an enclosed type switch.

Fig. 9 is a partial cross sectional view of the handle and rotatablemember sh'own in Fig. 8, andV Figs. 10 and 10A are side and end views ofa. spring used to secure the handle to the rotatable member.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the switch-box is denoted by thenumeral I4 and has ardoor which is denoted by the numeral I6. 'I'h'eswitch door I6 has a hasp I8 attached to it which ypermits the operatorto open the door manually. Also attached to th'e door I6 is a lockingcatch which engages the locking member 22. The

locking member 22 has a hole 24, through Which a pin 26 extends, andaround which' the mem- The locking member` 22 has a A projection 30extends from the side of locking member 22 and engages the rotatablemember 32 connected to the handle 34. VA curved opening 36 in thelocking member 22 Ycooperates with a pin 38 to permit limited Aprojecthe locking member 22 and serves to clear or to vobstruct theopening 42 in the cover oi.A the.y

. switch-box.

In the quick-make and break operating mechanism 44A is va pivotedoscillating member. A switch' operating bar or lever 46 is struck by iturned out portions '48' onthe pivoted oscillating member 44. Thepivoted oscillatingmember is actuated by bar which extends from they'operating handle and is rotatably secured to the pivoted oscillatingmember. A spring 54 is carried on a guide rod 52. When the rod 52 isaligned with the pivot of the oscillating member and its point ofconnection with the oscillating 'member the spring is compressed to itsmaximum and the oscillating member is in a deadcenter position. Slightmovement from this positioncauses the spring to bias the oscillatingmember away from this position. The lever 50 has a slot 56 with whichthe lower end of the handle 34 cooperates. The switch mechanism isprovided with a number of springs. A spring 58 connects the lockingmember 22 with the pin 38 and tends to cause the rotation of the lockingmember into the off position. A spring 60 is connected to the switch-boxand to the lever 50 and tends to urge the switch into the on position.Another spring 62 connected to the lever 50 and the end of handle 32tends to hold the handle in the on position.

AAn optional form o! handle design is shown, by use of which the handlemay be shipped separate from the switch-box, and may be inserted nin thebox when the box is to be used. A spring switch' door 64 is set in therotatable member 32 and holds the optional form of handle 35 so that itcannot slip out. i By use of this device, the switches can be shippedeconomically without wasting space and assembled without inconvenienceto the purchaser.

- When the box is shipped to the consumer, he need only insert thehandle into the rotatable member to put the box in operating condition.When the handle is moved into the on position, the member 32 moves thebar or lever 50 `which rotates the oscillating member 44 to com'- pressspring 54. When the oscillating member is carried beyond the dead-centerposition, the

'spring 54 is released and quicklyrotates theoscillating member 44.`Slots 56 in bar 50 allow movement of vthe oscillating memberindependently of th'e handle, so that the projections 48 strike theswitch operating bar 46 to snap the switch into the "on" position. Thisprovides a means to quickly make thecircuit and avoid the manyobjections to slow circuit-making. The rotation of the rotatable member32 into the on position moves it into the path' of projection 30 on thelocking member 22. This, prevents the opening of the switch door I6since, to open the door I6, the locking member 22 must rotate andrelease the door catch 20. Since the I6 cannot be opened when the switchisV in this position, the operator is protected against shocks of anaccidental nature.

It sometimes is desirable to open the door` of the' enclosed switch-boxwhen the switch is in the on position, for the purposes of testing orinspection. In many of the boxes now'in use, the door can be openedwhile the switch is in the "on position, but the operator isrequiredeither to insert a tool or his fingers into the box. Theinsertion of a tool or a finger into the switchbox renders the operatorsubject to shock, and this makes the job of testing and inspectingswitch-boxes a dangerous one. The invention provides a Way of openingthe switch-box door by proper manipulation of the handle and does notrequire the operator to insert anything into the box. This provides avery safe way of opening the door for the purposes of inspection. Theoperator only needs to grip the hasp on the box with one hand and torotate the handle with the other. The rotation of the handle causes thero- Atatingmember 32 to move a short distance toward the 01T positionand open'a path for the projection 30 on the locking member 22. Theprojection 30 can move into the opening 33 in the vrotatable member 32,and such movement of prodoor cannot be opened. In. order to open thedoor, the `operator must overcome the pull of the spring SZandhold thelharidle stationary in the proper position;V In addition, tlieopening $3in the rotatable member 32-ls made small and conforms to4 theshapeofprojection 30 on the locking membex'v22'. Thislpermits the. door to be`opened at only oneposition'of the handle when the switch is on,andlprevents the opening of the door at all other positions except theoi position. When thehandle is in the on position', the rotatable member32 is ln the position shown in Fig..5. Theprojection 40 on the lockingmember 22 is free to move across the opening I2' in theswitch-box coverunder the influence of the spring: 58.- SWhile .the projection 40 isacross the opening 42, the handle cannot be rotated into the on"'po'sltiomsince rotatl'on'of the rotatable member 32 is prevented by theprojection 40. 'I'his is an'additional safety feature since the operatorcannot turn on the switch while the switch door is open. The operator,therefore, cannot electrify the parts of the switch while he is workingon the box and is protected from accidental shocks. When the lockingmember 22 is in the off position, the projection 28 is rotated so thatit does not obstruct the door catch 20. This permits the door I6 to beopened and closed freely. By use of this type of locking member, aswitch-box is provided which cannot be opened when the switch is in thefull "on position, which can be opened by proper manipulation of thehandle when the switch is in the on position, and which can be freelyopened and closed when the switch is in the oi position.

Another feature of the invention is the means which keeps the handle inthe on position whenever the oscillating member is in the dead centerposition. In circuit breaker boxes now in use which employ a dead centersnap-acting mechanism, the handle can drop down near the olf positionwhen the oscillating member is in the dead center position. This isdangerous since it indicates that the switch is off even though it maybe on. Because the handle indicates that the switch is off, the operatormay work on sub-panels and distribution boxes and be shocked. This isvery dangerous and has been objected to by Various organizations. licanthas devised a means to move the handle into the on position whenever theswitch is on dead center. This warns the operator and prevents hisbelieving that the switch is oil when the circuit is made. The means issimple l and consists of a spring 62 that is connected to 50 and thehandle 34 and urges the handle into the on position.

Whereas I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it isobvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and alterationsmay be made in the form of the invention without altering its scope.

It can be seen from the above, that by use of the present invention, aswitch-box is provided which safeguards the operator from shocks andelectrical accidents.

What I claim is:

1. In an enclosed type switch, a switch-box having an openingtherethrough, a switch-operating mechanism located in the switch-boxccmprising a bail having a handlel receptacle attached thereto, a springin the handle receptacle, and a handle, said handle being adapted to beinserted through the opening in the switch-box The apinto the handlereceptacleland tightly held by a spring mounted therein, said spring andsaid handle receptacle being arranged to lock the handle in engagementwith the handle receptacle and prevent the disengagement of thehandleand the handle receptacle under most conditions.

2. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of a switch-box, abail having a handle receptacle attached thereto, a handle adapted to beinstalled in the switch-operating mechanism by insertion in thehandlereceptacle, and means to automatically hold the handle upon itsinsertion in the handle receptacle, and prevent the disengagement of thehandle and the handle receptacle under most conditions.

3. In a quick make and break operating mechanism for switches, a pivotedoscillating member adapted to bring about actuation of an electricswitch, an over-center spring biasing said oscillating member to both onandfoff" positions, said spring causing a dead-center position of theoscillating member when it is under maximum stress, a handle effectiveto rotate the oscillating member and a means biasing the handle to onposition when the oscillating member is in dead-center position.

4. In an enclosed type switch a quick make and break operating mechanismcomprising a switch operating bar, a pivoted oscillating member arrangedto actuate said bar, means to operate said oscillating memberrinto onand oil position, an over-center spring biasing said oscillating memberinto both off and on position, said spring causing the oscillatingmember to assume a dead-center position when it is under maximum stressand means to indicate that the switch is on when the oscillating memberis in the dead-center position.

5. A switch operating mechanism comprising a switch operating bar, apivoted oscillating member arranged to actuate said bar, an operatinghandle, a lost-motion connection between the handle and the oscillatingmember, an over-center spring biasing the oscillating member to both onand oi position and means biasing the handle to the on position.

6. In an enclosed type switch, an enclosing box, an electric switch insaid box, a door in the box, a catch on the door, a locking memberpivotally supported from the box, one end of said locking memberengaging the catch, means biasing the locking member to rotate said endagainst the catch, a handle pivotally supported from the box and movableto an off and on position and eiective to actuate the electric switch, adisc rotatable with the handle, a projection on the other end of thelocking member adapted to move under the disc to prevent its rotationwhen opening of the door moves the catch out of the path of the irstnamed end of the locking member, a projection on the catch adapted tocause movement of the locking member whenever the door is opened orclosed, a projection on the locking member engaging the side of the discand arranged to prevent movement of the locking member, a recess in thedisc adapted to allow entrance of the projection on the locking memberand thus allow movement of the locking member when the switch handle androtatable disc are in a predetermined position.

'7. In an enclosed type switch, an enclosing box, an electric switchtherein, a door in said box, a catch on the door, a locking memberpivotally supported from the box, one end of said locking memberengaging the catch, means biasing the rlocking meinberto rotate saidendagainst the catch, a handle pivotally supported from the box andmovable to an' on and oif position and eiective toV actuate the electricswitch, a semi-circular disc rotatable with the handle in a planeperpendicular to the face of the box, a projectionon the other end ofthe locking member adapted to m'ove under the disc and prevent movementof the handle to the on position when the door is opened and the catchis moved out of the path of the iirst named end of the locking member, aprojection on the door catch adapted to cause movement of the lockingmember whenever the door is opened or closed, a projection on thelocking member engaging the side of the disc and arranged to preventmovement of the locking member and thus opening of the door.

8. In an enclosed type switch, a switch box, a switch, an operating bailfor said switch, a pivoted oscillating member provided with projectionsthereon to strike opposite sides of the operating bail, a bar having oneend rotatably secured to said oscillating member and having the otherend slotted, a handle, a connection between the handle and the slottedportion of the bar allowing lost motion therebetween, an over-centerspring biasing the oscillating member in both ofi and on positions andmeans biasing the handle in the on position.y

9. In an enclosed type switch, an enclosing box, an electric switchtherein, a switch operating mechanism located in the switch boxcomprising a bail and a handle receptacle attached thereto, a spring inthe handle receptacle, and a handle adapted to have one end insertedinto the handle receptacle, said spring and said handle receptacle beingarranged to lock the. handle in the receptacle and prevent the removaloi.' the handle under most conditions.

FLOYD S. GREEN.

